On a Sea Bed of Ash
by Aku-Chan The Devil-San
Summary: You can only see blood.
1. Prologue

2050 The world had launched into war with each other...the nucular countries had snapped bombing thier allies and thier enemies, neutral was no longer a a used term. Weapons were dealt by the hundreds and people were sold between countries defying every human right ever made.

Famine shot through every stomach and mouths grew dry at lack of water supply...but the battle didn't cease...the first to be completly olbliterated was the Middle East. Decades of freindship, war, and controversy was wiped away with simply a bomb.

The ones that did survive the bombings walked away infected and cancerous sure to die on thier own time, China shut down thier trade and production to other countries closing themselves off from the world.

Making the strong willed and pround United States the second to fall, this time to complete and utter anarchy. People ran through the streets yelling and sceaming at government officials that had left the country.

America was obliterated by Russia before things went too far.

Now the survivers were few an far between. America, Land of the Free and Home of the Brave was no more.

Canada fought back against Russia but lost, And Europe was going every which way against South America the word had fallen into chaos...Until China and Russia joined forces...along with bits and peices of the long forgotten Soviet Union.

They completly destroyed anything left of the Americas, Africa, and Austrailia those continents had already started reverting back to the way the land was before humanity.

Russia now put everything into thier control the entirety of Asia's power supply was shut off and they were forced to return to life withut power...Europe though suffering from the scars of battle...made one last stand...Denmark specificlly.

They...They used the last bio weaponry on the planet and though they wounded Russia, mainly they just destroyed themselves considering the disease spread to Asia and most of Europe.

The world as we had known it gave it's final breath.

And now the world was dark, disease ridden, and now at 2063 it was devoid of hope.

Of course humans being the stubborn things they are began to start repopulating and making (albeit small) commuities by 2077 in Spain, France, Austria, and Great Brtitain.

The communities banded together and made small villages in countrysides farming and though with little, thriving...life had taken root and hope was blooming the Austrian, Swiss, and Hungarian land had poisioned soil but they did have a larger animal populace.

The world stood up once again and by 2094, cities were reclaimed by the rich and the country by the poor, Asia had grown into it's own empire and exotic trading hub...reverting back to traditions from a mix of Asian culture.

North American survivors had formed thier own groups and now most of the world had resorted back to something of a medival social hiarchy to keep things in order those who could read do business and remembered an older world rose up the chain and passed thier legacy down to thier succsessors.

As the rest of the world thrived...so did Russia...Russia began to slowly aquire weapons and soldiers at a rate where no one would take notice, well no one took notice until Russia started creating military camps and enforcing laws. Some of which were taxes to...to thier new government.

If you were wealthy, had an industry, and had a good clean name you should be fine...but those who didn't were forced into slave labor...making wepons and whatever was needed, Russia was slowly taking over.

But that couldn't sit well with everyone could it?

Rebel groups rose up trading drugs, fire arms, poisons, and slaves combatting the laws laid out for them the rebel groups infected the under ground of cities all over Europe and Asia.

But most of all the rebels ran ships.

Pirate ships.

And with this silent war between the rebels and the government trying to cotrol them, the year is 2113, and now?

Now the fun begins.


	2. The Golden Temptress: 1

**On a Sea Bed of Ash**

_**You Can Only See Blood**_

2113 was the year the greatest rebel power in all of history was born. Of course he didn't quite know that yet.

Ironiclly enough he was born under the family that were one of the driving forces in the government. They were black smiths, weapon crafters, and experts of torture. The family was rich and extensive, practiclly the one thing that kept the military running.

He was born to this family under the name of Arthur Victoria Kirkland (but as far as his aquantinces know his middle name is 'James').

He had four brothers Allister, Dylan, Seamus and Peter, a sister Grainne, and his cousin Jack who married a woman named Kiwi and they had a daughter named Wynona.

All of them under the governments power.

But of course that didn't quite last, Arthur caught on quickly and was the most skilled blacksmith in the family and at the young age of nine was introduced to high society. He held a special kind of hatred for the rich men and woman who fought for an 'equal government' but still took from the poor and bought slaves for thier land

Or maybe it was beacause they made fun of his fairy obsession.

But either way he began to act out, he began to speak his mind. For this he was bullied by his siblings and abused by his parents they constantly tried to control him for years.

The night of his thirteeth birthday, when Arthur stole the best swords and most of the gold in the safe was the night he never returned and it was the day he began his life as a pirate.

He boarded _The Emerald Star_ with a black eye from his father's fist and a dream to destroy everything his family stood for.

And about two years later aboard _The Brittania Angel_ he realized that the silly whim of running away with a dream had become his life.

And now that thats through we start our story in the year 2128.

_**Part One**_

**The Golden Temptress**

A plainly dressed man scrambled across the salt soaked deck with vhemnace. "Captain!" he called his voice cracking a bit as he tripped on a rope and fell.

A man, No. A boy swung down on the ropes of the ship. He fell before the man who had yet to gain his sea legs, The boy offered his petite calloused hand. The man took it gratefully groaning at the pain in his rump as he stood. "Whoa!" The man yelped and fell into the arms of the boy as the ship rocked again.

"Watch yerself there Jhon" The boy grumbled hoisting Jhon back up "you needed me?" The boy bit out brushing the dusty blonde mop from his eyes.

Jhon backed away and brushed himself off "well...sir" Jhon had always felt strange calling someone younger than himself 'sir' "The next port is just on the horizon, we should be there by noon Captain Kirkland!" Jhon saluted and grinned proudly before slipping again.

The younger man caught him and shoved him back up "Thank you, perhaps you could get some rest?" the Captain asked in quite an obvious show to get rid of him.

"Can do, Art!" Jhon said cheerfully, the Captain grumbled _it's Arthur, wanker _under his breath before stalking to the helm of _The Bittania Angel. _He could see the faint outline of the pirate trading hub, they had always done good business here.

The place was heavily influened by old Asain culture and Arthur could never feel quite at home in the place, it's culture had evolved somewhat into something compacted with social rules and strange traditions...for some reason he alway had a bad feeling about it no mtter how much they made off with.

Well until he_ saw _what they made off with, the Asain community had quite the stock pile of golds and silks.

Arthur pulled a medium sized stick from the pocket of his loose pants and countinued carving on the soon to be pipe, so far it was just an array of bears and snakes and maybe the occasional flower. Arthur lost himelf in the elaborate design his large eyebrows furrowed in concentration and the freckle on his nose crinkling.

The clamber of the port was heard as they began to approach, Arthur lifted his head, Beautiful silks were being traded and rare teas were being sampled. Loud voices of fisher men called names and prices to buyers down below, It was stunning and embarrsed the Captain somewhat considering what he dealt in could ruin the lives of these honest workers.

Arthur pocketed his work, he had been told the port was in a place that used to be called China and that many of the buyers here would argue to the last penny, it had been a long time since he'd set foot here anyway he wasn't expecting to remember much of it.

Except for one thing.

The port's city was famed for its elaborate and wealthy etablishments, but most of all it was famed for it's women. Girls from the streets, orphans, and daughters of those in need of money were bought by a school that turned them into beautiful and graceful wives, and then? And then they were sold off as spouses to noble men and wealthy government officials.

The idea of selling people disguted Arthur but it was profit no less.

There was a girl who had lived there all her life that Arthur had met when he had visited...it was fleeting moment and a sweet conversation reflecting on the horror around them.

She had been beautiful, she had been the eldest daughter of the Wang family. Arthur sighed happily at the memory of looking into her honey colored eyes...not that he'd really _seen _honey but he was told thats what the color was.

The blonde haired man walked calmly to the ramp they had laid down and walked to the dock to over see the cargo. He sent a sharp glare to the people who were tossing the crates, they paused in shock and everyone around them began to whisper.

Arthur sighed, he knew fifteen was a bit young to captain a ship and yes he'd done some things he wasn't proud of, but was the incesent gossiping nessasary?

_I heard he killed a man by just looking at him!_

_I was told he murdered the first captain..._

_Is he Arthur Kirkland? I thought the Kirklands were communists._

_They are! He murdered his parents!_

_No he didn't, he was disowned!_

Arthur walked calmly through the crowd holding his head high as they parted.

None made eye contact.

His first mate caught up and trailed behind him, she hopped up and stood beside him she hoisted a cream satchel over her shoulder and played with her jackets fringe.

"Captain Kirkland?" She asked as she pulled her long mousy hair into a pony tail.

Arthur turned his head and looked at her, Elisaveta Belischmidt had always been a very beautiful woman she tucked some of the brown locks behind her ear, her face was tan and splotchly burned in places as were her arms. Elisaveta's eyes held a mischevious wisdom and Arthur had always liked them because they were the color of the feilds he played in with his friend Antonio when he was younger.

"Yes" he turned his head back and responded sharply "How long do you think we'll stay?" She questioned pulling Arthur towards the inn.

Arthur thought for a moment "A week at most, I have some business with the fur traders" he left it at that and opened the door. Elisaveta walked in first coughing at the smoky atmoshpere and Arthur followed ignoring the smell of opiate laced tabacco and holding his composure.

The bouncy man at the counter introuced himself as Im-Yong Wang, Arhtur was suprised at the name but Im-Yong insisted he wanted nothing to do with the notorious Wang family.

"they sold away my sisters and cousins...I can't forgive them for that" He said taking the bag of gold as the payment for the many rooms the sailors would occupy.

Arthur nodded polietly but to be honest he'd be happy if all his siblings had been taken away. Elisaveta thanked the inn keeper and ran out to tell the sailors where'd they would be staying. Arthur turned to look out the filthy windows and Im-Yong figeted behind him.

"What is it?"Arthur snapped exasperated, Im-Yong looked at the floor and shuffled tenetaivly "is it true?" he muttered under his breath.

"speak up!" Arthur barked his voice was loud and commanding for that of a petite teen, the outside noise invaded the small smoky inn penetrating the silence that hung.

Im-Yong came and stood beside Arthur "everything..." Arthur shot him a look and Im-Yong jolted away "just...a-are you really a Kirkland?"

"What do you think?" Arthur replied snootily with a sacastic twinge to his voice, Athur was affronted that anyone would question his heritage.

Not because of the signiture Kirkland eyebrows of course.

The pale blonde teen sighed heavily "I apoligize, I just suppose I'm like you...with the abandoning the family and all" The Captain laughed darkly "The surname does come in handy though, doesen't it?"

The clouded room muffled thier small chuckles and silence overcame them once again. The emerald eyed boy fingered the hilt of his sword, unwanted memories of _his_ surname resurfacing.

_"ya hear me boy!?" The burly man shouted in anger "These are tools not toys!" he snarled spittle driping down his gritty red beard._

_"Yes papa" the younger of the two said quietly as he countinued to shape the flexible mix into a sword with the heavy metal tools. The man watched his son crossing his arms stubbornly, all he could think was about the profit this boy could make from his skill and that he didn't want his money to get hurt._

_The pale freckled boy picked up a different tool and began carving elaborate deigns into the soft hot metal, His father watched waiting for failure that didn't come. The man was impressed that his smallest and weakest son had taken such an intrest in the family business._

_The boy finished and looked up searching his father's eyes for approval thier green jewels a carbon copy of one another. The man stroked his beard and his face softend._

_"Art, Ya 're gonna be one of those great Kirklands" he reached down and patted the fuzzy blonde head "Arthur Kirkland" he said testing the surname on his tougne._

_The boy looked up with a smirk and a fire in his eyes._

_"Yes papa"_

Arthur shook himself out of the dream like state wasking the stain his fathers eyes had imprinted in his mind. He turned to his side seeing that Im-Yong had left...the room felt clearer and outside was Elisaveta with a few of the sailors carting the goods that were to be traded in small amounts rather than bulk.

The captain eyed her curiously as she pulled a smoking roll from her ruby painted lips, she smirked playfully "I just couldn't resist!" she cackled with a wink.

When Arthur was told that the entirerty the Belischmidt family were orderly men with a flavor for rules and communism.

It wasn't much of a suprise he hadn't believed them.

Elisaveta bounced away chiding the sailors for thier teasing on her tabacco's part. Arthur stepped out hopping to catch the buyers of the cargo rather than letting Jhon handle the trade.

It wasn't that Arthur didn't trust him it was just that he was often...unreliable. The quiet teen strode out of the inn taking a breath of the not-so-fresh air and moving towards the docks, the fishing boats seemed to have died down from thier earlier frenzy and the afternoon sun was warming the Captain's skin.

"Captain Kirkland!" Jhon called and waved sloppily from down the dock, Jhon ran up to Arthur and out of breath huffed and wiped his brow. "Sorry Cap'in, but them want ya" Jhon choked out throug his heavy breathing. The famed forest green glare swooped across the dock and landed on the group of traders.

A young man...maybe just a bit older than Arthur waved him over, he had bright dity blonde hair spiked up his skin was unblemished and radiant, the young man grinned lopsidely and showed two rows of perfectly clean white teeth...Arthur closed his mouth shyly, looking at his perfection just magnified his own faults.

Of course if he planned to use the product Arthur was selling on himself...those pearly whites would soon turn to coal.

"Hey there lil' fella!" he spiky haired man said warmly his deep blue eyes open wide "I'm looking for a 'Arthur Kirkland'"

Arthur twitched in fury "_you_ are _looking _right at him" the Captain growled. He felt a tap on his shoulder...Jhon...he quickly told him where the inn was and turned back to the dumbfounded...arms dealer? Was it? He thought to himself.

"Wait, you're Captain Kirkland?" The counfused young man steped closer into Arthur's personal space he might have looked pretty but the smelled of booze, radishes, and dead animals...at that assumpution Arthur looked down at the fur lined belt and he realized he was dealing with fur traders not arms dealers.

"Yes I am. Now will you get the bloody fuck off of me you imbecile!" Arthur shoved him away swiftly to keep himself from gagging at the stench.

"The Captain Kirkland who single handedly poisoned _twenty-three_ naval officers in one sitting?"

Arthur wasn't going to deny that he hated anyone who fought for the naval side as a choice of thier own, he just had a special kind of contempt...that was all...

"The Captain Kirkland who stole the family fortune and tortured a grown man _just_ to be a pirate?"

Well it wasn't _just,_ being a pirate was his entire life, And on that note his family could do without the money and as he stated prior...that man was a naval officer at his own will.

"The Captain Kirkland who hand crafted sixteen different lethal poisons out of leaves?"

Now he was starting to feel as though he was being mocked...he knew he was young but was it really that suprising?

Plus they had been very special leaves.

"I don't know who you think you are! But if you-" The dusty freckled teen yelled angerly red in the face until...his voice cracked...Arthur inwardly groaned that no of all times his voice decided to act up again. Elisaveta had told him it was normal but it had been happening more and more of late.

The curious fur trader had froze a look of horror on his face perfectly mirroring Arthur's "you're just a kid..." the boisterous trader began to laugh sending the smell of radishes everywhere "you're just a god damn kid with a pointy stick!" Arthur had been fine with the kid talk but...

No one called Elizabeth a 'pointy stick'.

The fire in his forest eyes raged and he whipped out his elaborate sword "her name is Elizabeth Alexandra Marie and you will adress her as so" he scolded in a low feral snarl "and don't you think for a minute those rumors aren't true just because I'm a _god damn kid_"

The man had gone weak in the knees and fallen the loud thump had caused heads to turn but upon seeing Arthur armed all swiveled back to thier origional places. Another man with white blonde hair and frost colored eyes came down the ramp of the long decorative pine boat. He came and stood next to the shocked fur trader, his expression staying unbelivably neutral.

"Is the deal still on?" he asked in a cold monotone, Arthur lowered and sheathed Elizabeth slowly eyeing the icy man infront of him.

"I never said it was off" Arthur said watching the shocked trader stand "his head might be" he muttered calmly as an after thought.

The man raised his frosty eyes "We will take three medium crates of the sleeping poison and four large crate of the dried stems and pods" Arthur in turn rose an enormous eyebrow in question as he seperated thier order from the crates that sailors had left.

"Now I can't question the sleeping poison...it's more handy than it really should be depite being..." _a faulty prototype _"costly, but why four crates of dried poppy?" Arthur asked curiously the stuff was a pain in the arse to transport and he hadn't expected to sell any of it.

"Niki said we could sell it for more back home...to much snow to grow it y'know and the dealers are pretty scarce up north" The man who stank of radish said thougtfully. "I'm Mathias by the way!" he said and stuck out his hand to shake. Arthur set the last crate down and reached to return the gesture.

But the youngest of the three stopped short when he saw the tattoo on Mathias's wrist.

It was a series of numbers, a location, a location to take this man's dead body when he died fighting.

Died fighting a war for communism.

Arthur disgruntled glared "What are ya playing at?" he asked narrowing his eyes and lightly tapping the handle of his sword. Mathias looked and saw his exposed tattoo realization dawned on him and he pulled his sleeve up higer displaying the crude brand of a pirate, a winged lion sitting atop a globe...it was a brand every pirate got and Arthur had aswell...but he was still skeptical.

The icy man rolled is eyes at the silent conversation "I am Nikolas and we are Nikolas and Mathias Oxensteina" he said his voice still stiff.

Do you remember when it was explained that a family name can make quite the difference in your social life? Well this is an excellent example.

Most knew the plight of the Oxensteina family...something the Captain knew well...The origional family had a son and daughter Mathias and Beatrice they had been heavily on the government's side and gaurded water ports for a living until Beatrice eloped with a rebel girl (even though she was married) and the family had been in chaos ever since...

"I-I..." Arthur coughed akwardly unsure of what to say but the cold man cut him off "five artic fox furs and one bear hide" he said making it final.

The pale boy sighed in releif at the diversion "throw in a pair of antlers and you got yerselves a deal" Mathias and Nikolas left and got the crates...they made a simple trasaction and Arthur expected that they would each go on thier way...

But he was horribly wrong.

Over the many deals he made during the course of the afternoon and early evening, Mathias had followed him and though at first talked about how much he admired Captain Kirkland 'the cold blooded murderer who had salt in his veins' the topic quickly switched to every scrap of gossip and rumor about every one of the traders.

They ranged from 'he has fourteen pet lizards that are named after communists' to 'he murdered his wife and ate her with seasoning'

Mathias was_ quite _the...conversationalist...

This went on well past supper when the town lamps began to be lit and the sky turned red as bood...and soon a few woman dressed in gold veils and finery began milling through the crowd and giving thier blessings to each shop. The small town's women were thier pride, joy, and profit...The culture in the Asian and Russian regions had changed drasticlly to the point where women were veiwed as property, it disgusted Arthur to no end but he had to admit they certainly were beautiful.

One girl with deep chesnut hair was veiled but her stout lithe body moved in such a way he knew who he was immediatly.

The eldest daughter of the Wang family with deep brown hair and honey colored eyes.

The boy enraptured whispered to Mathias "What do you know about her?"

Mathias was silent for the moment the sun went under in a flash.

"her?" he said softly his voice tucking itself away into the noise of the crowd.

"She is The Golden Temptress"

**Author's Note:**

**Hello! The entirety of the plot won't end up in the summary but if you are dying to know my plan for the story you can PM me with questions...**

**This story is going to be quite the Arthur centric harem and I feel I should list the pairings...FrUK, SpUK, IggyPan, IggyChu, and USUK...I won't tell the gravity of each pairing nor will I disclose the endgame...And I should imform you that those are not in order.**

**You can request characters and pairings but I have a lot already planned so it might not quite fit.**

_**Also**_** the warnings: There is abuse/ family harrassment, torture, murder, character death, recreational drug use, rape, swearing, torture, and a load of other **_**lovley**_** things that will come in due time.**

**Leave a reveiw if you would like!**


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